3 Billion Gallons of Fracking Wastewater 'Accidentally' Pumped Into California Aquifer

California’s Department of Conservation’s Chief Deputy Director, Jason Marshall, told NBC Bay Area, California state officials allowed oil and gas companies to pump up to 3 billion gallons (call it 70 million barrels) of oil fracking-contaminated waste water into formerly clean aquifiers, aquifiers which at least on paper are supposed to be off-limits to that kind of activity, and are protected by the government's EPA - an agency which, it appears, was richly compensated by the same oil and gas companies to look elsewhere.

More at the link:
Zero Hedge

“It’s inexcusable,” said Hollin Kretzmann, at the Center for Biological Diversity in San Francisco. “At (a) time when California is experiencing one of the worst droughts in history, we’re allowing oil companies to contaminate what could otherwise be very useful ground water resources for irrigation and for drinking. It’s possible these aquifers are now contaminated irreparably.”

So... let's get this straight. The EPA allowed this to happen because during the 'permitting process' mistakes were made, the contamination is irreparable, and... it will probably happen again, right?

Unbelievable. From the same people who told NYC the 'air was safe to breathe'.

When do these crimes against nature and people become truly punishable for the amount of damage they cause?

Wow!

At a certain point I do believe that the last straw will break the camels back!

I mean honestly this should result in far more than simple outrage in California.

You would not have thought that TPTB could have found a quicker way to destroying our natural environment than pesticides/herbicides yet somehow they have been able to get away with FRACKING, causing earthquakes and destroying water supplies!

I do not believe this will stand for much longer, we are becoming far to aware of the reality that is being created, the propaganda simply does not work any longer!

Destruction of the environment will one day be a crime that carries with it a heavy punishment, this day is quickly approaching, the only sad thing is that it takes these kind of events to get us there.

a reply to: signalfire

The EPA is a joke, and a very bad one at that.
Everytime a situation comes up they do everything but protect the environment.
They lie and look the other way, exposing people, wildlife, and the environment to who knows what.
The EPA is a regulator for who ever has the deepest pockets to add to theirs, bottom line they are a cover for sell.

Aw, this sucks.
They are using natural resources against us.

How can there possibly be any frack waste water? I can only surmise that what we are seeing is just the tip of the iceberg.

Imagine what's creeping under the surface…oh, it just stops right where the aquifers start, everyone knows that.
Just like beetle Paul 'stopped screwing around just before Aids™ started'.

Remember, a Beetle must never marry! This is an iron Epstein rule.

Everything they can possibly get their hands on, from aluminum to rare earth, is shredded and spilled and allowed to contaminate everything.

The only place safe from the frackers are places which are poor in resources, maybe.
Because the water for their SodSem no-foam Triple Latte has to come from somewhere.



I remember when doctors used to say 'drink a lot of water'.

Problem is what if it makes you sick?

Is this what Obama meant by 'change'?

Nice….

Hey, I know! Why not let these clowns monitor the deterioration of our minds and our bodies, since they already control our lifeblood, and souls…?

We'll call it 'healthcare'. Even if you don't play…you pay.



# 327

This could happen in any state, and probably is, since money is involved.

Given they looked the other way to allow this to take place, I'm confident they'll look the opposite way when it comes to accountability.

The companies saved billions of dollars in overhead fees.... Let me guess, they will be fined $100 million. Meaning they'll walk away still saving billions... Like the big banks.

Irreparable indeed!

a reply to: signalfire

How do you accidentally pump 3 billion gallons?

The BS is real!

As if Cali didn't have enough water problems.

The EPA is a political party.

Nothing more, nothing less.

Like everything else, it too became infected with the Corporate Cashflow Virus (CCV) many-a decade ago.

So is it really any surprise that they turn a blind eye ?
Nope.

And of course, the common people will turn a blind eye to it as well... right up until the point that everyone is dropping like flies from toxic poisoning flowing through their veins. THEN, and only then, will they start jumping up and down on their soapboxes.


Yes, I'm that jaded and cynical about the world around me.

originally posted by: Swills
a reply to: signalfire

How do you accidentally pump 3 billion gallons?

The BS is real!

As if Cali didn't have enough water problems.

That's the kicker -- it wasn't by accident.

California state officials allowed oil and gas companies to pump 3 billion gallons...

OP, you can remove the word "Accidentally" from your title, per your source.

Billions of gallons accidentally?

Not a chance. It was researched, planned and took more than a few individuals to pull off.

Someone knew this, people were paid, backs were turned, documents were altered, names will be deleted, reports will be redacted, evidence will be lost.

And the citizen will continue to suffer and pay for a Govt. that continues to be in the pockets of Big Biz.

Business as usual. But this is getting very personal when it comes to blatant contamination of water that is already in short supply.

Peace

a reply to: elementalgrove

Really? What will that straw be?

They kill you without cause (see police incidents nation wide in the US).
They kill your animals without cause (see police incidents nation wide in the US).
They kill your citizens abroad under pseudo terrorist laws that even apply within the borders of the US.
They poison your food supply (see GMO; see Monsanto; see other biotech firms).
They destroy your food supply (see FDA incidents re: organic food production).
They sue then destroy contaminated food supplies (see Monsanto GMO crop cross pollination + legal cases re: unlicensed GMO production).
They poison your water supply (see OP incident and other fracking incidents).
They steal your money (see police incidents re: property seisure without warrant, see federal income tax laws, see bank bailouts).
They defraud you in politics (see almost every election since JFK).


I honestly don't think there will be a straw.
The back should have broke many many years ago.

Yes, business as usual, but no one wants to blame the business for some reason, and are just screaming about the government agency, how typical.

originally posted by: CB328
Yes, business as usual, but no one wants to blame the business for some reason, and are just screaming about the government agency, how typical.

The company is always going to break laws to see profits.

YOUR Govt. is supposed to stop them not help the process.

Couldn't be any more simple than that.

"The Buck Stops Here"

Peace

HORRIBLE News. Makes me want to move back to OZ from Cali.

"There is a sufficiency in the world for man's need but not for man's greed."
--Mahatma Gandhi

The New “Water Barons”: Wall Street Mega-Banks are Buying up the World’s Water

Accident, that's not a decision to take lightly. Sounds more like someone paid someone off to allow it.

Hey what better way to get rid of the waste. Who cares if x amount of people will no longer, nor the environment, a safe aquifer.(sarcasm of course).

originally posted by: signalfire

When do these crimes against nature and people become truly punishable for the amount of damage they cause?

Never. Not as long as you have a population that demands large amounts of cheap energy to fuel an economy dependent on the rampant consumption of useless crap.

Environmental destruction is simply depreciation on the balance sheet. As long as the machine keeps running, no one cares.

It isn't the corporation or the state (as if there's even a difference anymore) that is the problem--it's the people.

just out of curiosity, is it possible to pump this contaminated water (before being pimped into pristine healthy aquifers of course) into giant tanks where it can be boiled/distilled leaving behind the contaminants?? or will the contaminants simply boil away into the atmosphere as well? it just may be a theory I am willing to put to the test.

a reply to: Sovaka

All of your points are well noted and sadly are the reality of the fascism that has taken over this country.

Evil exists in many forms this is absolutely true, on the other side of that coin is the good that is fighting back. Now the side of this coin is not as evident because it is a battle that is happening in the minds and conscience of every individual partaking in this earthly experience.

For me it is quite simple, I am an eternal optimist and will continue to be. It is in this spirit that I believe that there will be a straw that will inevitably break the back and there will be no return. Personally I believe that it is happening regardless of media coverage in the unity that is being manifested in our common enemy who is orchestrating the crimes against this planet and humanity that you described, it is simply not focused upon.

Our precious water, air, and land have taken about as much abuse as they can take. Out of necessity people are banning together. More people are taking action than those laying in sloth, living vicariously through their favorite tv/movie programming.

How can a small group of people be allowed to let that happen? What kind of people have we put in charge?

I suppose I don't have a right to complain about the people in California, I should concentrate on the people in charge here in Michigan because I live here.

maybe "they" are privvy to information which would render poisoned groundwater irrelevant....

.... such as Comet Fill-in-the-blank is about to hit.